News

A new note published in the journal Wetlands details a rapid assessment method we (Dustin Raab, Suzanne Bayley, and Rebecca Rooney) developed to estimate above ground biomass, using a sort of barbershop pole with red and white horizontal stripes.  Named after the rangelands researcher who first used it, the Robel pole uses visual obstruction as a proxy measure of vegetation biomass.

Dr. Michael Paterson, Senior Fellow and Research Associate at the International Institute for Sustainable Development is visiting Waterloo at the invitation of Dr. Rooney and the Water Institute. He will be presenting a talk on the legacy and future of the Experimental Lakes Area in DC 1302 at 2 pm.  

Are you a Canadian interested in a Masters degree in Wetland Ecology?

Dr. Rooney's lab is currently seeking applicants for 2 Domestic MSc. positions.

Facts:

MSc. students at the University of Waterloo receive a minimum of $20,600 per year to support their studies.

They gain teaching experience through teaching assistantships in their field.

They take only 3 courses, sparing time to focus on their thesis.

Dr. Rooney was invited to sit on the 10 member Science Advisory Committee (SAC) for the Experimental Lakes Area. This is a huge honor!

You can read more about the SAC here.

The Rooney Lab recently acquired a neat new tool: a GPS unit with sub-meter real time accuracy.  This device lets us map the distribution of different vegetation communities in the field.

Since 1993, Alberta's wetlands were governed under an Interim Wetland Policy.  Just today the province announced its new policy.

You can read about the new Alberta Wetland Policy here.

The cabinets for my new office have arrived and are waiting to be installed.

Heather Polan, a new MSc. student, starts this September.  Welcome to the lab Heather.

Just returned from sampling two dozen wetlands in Alberta.  We looked at the plant communities and soil properties of agriculturally impacted and restored wetlands in Parkland and Prairie Natural Regions.  It was especially neat to get to visit and sample at the Kinsella and Mattheis research ranches, operated by the University of Alberta.

Renovations on lab and office space commence. Exciting times, full of potential!